Bank Across From UT-Austin Robbed 2nd Time In 2 Weeks

AUSTIN, TX — Police responded to a bank robbery near UT-Austin late Wednesday morning — the second time in just over two weeks the same bank has been targeted.

The incident occurred at the Chase Bank branch at 1904 Guadalupe St. just after 11:30 a.m. It's the second time in 15 days that the branch has been targeted for robbery after an Oct. 1 incident just before 10:30 a.m., police said at the time.

According to UT-Austin police, the suspect is described as an older white male wearing a hospital mask, black jacket and blue jeans. He was seen walking out of a business and turned left going north on Guadalupe. No weapon has been reported, police said.

Two days after the incident, the Austin Police Department released a description of the suspect and issued a surveillance camera image. The suspect is described as white male standing between five feet, six inches, to five feet, eight inches, in height weighing between 150 to 180 pound of medium build. The man is believed to be in his mid-40s. He was last seen wearing a surgical mask, dark-colored baseball cap, dark-colored jacket, dark-colored pants and black Nike canvas shoes

Campus police urged those who may have seen the suspect to call 9-1-1. After past bank robberies, the APD has asked those with information to call detectives at (512) 974 5092. Tipsters also can call Crime Stoppers at (512) 472-TIPS or use the new Crime Stoppers App. Tips also can be submitted by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD, for free on iPhone and Android.

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The incident marks the 18th robbery in Austin so far this year. The string of recent bank robberies includes the Oct. 9 heist at a Compass Bank branch on 321 W. 6th St. — another bank that has been struck twice in a short span of time after an earlier Sept. 26 robbery. On the same day a mere four hours later, a Comerica Bank branch at 7820 Burnet Road was hit just after 4:10 p.m.

Those incidents were preceded by a bank robbery in South Austin on Oct. 4 — the third such heist in just over a week's time and the second time in five days banks were hit. That incident occurred at a Wells Fargo bank branch along the 500 block of East Ben White Boulevard.

Other recent bank robberies include:

• The Sept. 26 robbery of the BBVA Bank on 321 W. 6th St. was hit just past 2:30 p.m. The suspect in that incident told a teller he had a weapon, although none was found. He then fled on foot traveling along Guadalupe Street after securing an undisclosed amount of cash.
###liBank of America branch robbery at 515 Congress Avenue at the corner with 5th Street. Police described the suspect as a black man between 40 to 45 years of age and weighing about 200 pounds. He was further described as balding with a beard, last seen wearing a light-colored T-shirt.
• On June 20, the Bank of America branch at 701 E. Stassney Lane was robbed after a man entered the lobby before displaying weapon, demanded money from a teller and then fled the scene on foot, police said. The suspect was described as a black male standing at six feet in height of medium build and weighing about 215 pounds.

In January, three bank robberies were reported — two on the same day:

• The first robbery occurred at a Prosperity Bank branch at 11545 Research Blvd. right before 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 18. Police said the suspect demanded money and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. The man in that incident was described as a white, heavyset, middle-aged man who is bald, Silva said. He was last seen wearing a gray sweater with a white T-shirt underneath. The man fled on foot after securing the cash, observed heading northbound.
• Wells Fargo Bank was hit the same day at its branch on 6501 Airport Blvd. also in North Austin. There, another man entered the bank while demanding money before fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect in that incident was described as a white man with dark hair and receding hairline. The man of medium build had sunglasses on top of his head at the time of the incident, and was clad in a dark sweatshirt and blue jeans.
• On Jan. 25, a Bank of America branch at intersection of East 39th Street and Interstate 35 was hit just before 4:30 p.m. The suspect is said to have demanded cash from a teller before fleeing on foot headed westbound on 39th Street. The suspect in that robbery was described as a Hispanic man in his 40s standing at five feet, two inches tall. He was last seen wearing a black zip-up hoodie and jeans, police said.